Bird steals camera in Australia, records journey

The Associated Press

Posted:
12/02/2013 12:43:02 AM MST

Updated:
12/02/2013 08:39:11 AM MST

Click photo to enlarge

In this image made from video taken on May 29, 2013 and provided by Kimberley Land Council, an eagle pecks at a camera that rangers set up along a river, after the bird took off and flew with it, in the Kimberley region, Western Australia. The brazen bird snatched the video camera that was recording crocodiles in northwest Australia and captured fascinating footage of its 110-kilometer (70-mile) journey across the country's remote landscape. MANDATORY CREDIT, NO SALES, AUSTRALIA OUT

SYDNEY—A brazen bird snatched a video camera that was recording crocodiles in northwest Australia and captured fascinating footage of its 110-kilometer (70-mile) journey across the country's remote landscape.

Wildlife rangers in Western Australia's Kimberly region released video on Monday that reveals the sea eagle's caper. The bird's flapping wings can be seen as it grabs the device and takes off, and the eagle later poses for a selfie, poking its face into the camera lens.

Rangers set up the motion-sensor camera along the Margaret River in May, hoping to record images of crocodiles. The camera, which is about 10 to 15 centimeters (4 to 6 inches) long and 5 centimeters (2 inches) wide, disappeared soon after and the rangers figured it had fallen into the water.

The rangers recently found out that the device had been found near the Mary River, about 110 kilometers (70 miles) away, ranger Roneil Skeen told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. When they examined the video inside, the real culprit was revealed.